Disconnect Kids: Online privacy for kids, made easy

My first instinct (and job) as a mom is to keep my kids safe, so when I found out how many thousands of bits of information about us were being sent to online marketers every time they play or learn on my iPad, I got pretty protective. For this mom, that has to stop now.

That said, I’ve been totally confused on how this secret online spying works, so I’ve had no idea how to protect my devices. That’s why I’m so excited about Disconnect Kids for iOS, from the same folks who created the popular Disconnect Me tracking software for web browsers.

The folks behind the app believe that controlling your personal info shouldn’t be a huge headache, so they’ve made the process super easy. Protecting your iPad or iPhone is as simple as the swipe of a finger.

You can even click on the gear icon and customize which services you want to unblock, if any. Also remember, those tracking widgets slow browsing time, so the more tracking services you block the faster your device will be. And one of my favorite side effects of this app is that most of those annoying pop-up ads disappear too. No more begging for new games all the time.

The Disconnect Kids website and app also have educational videos that are visually appealing and have a quirky cool vibe–in other words, you’ll actually want to watch them. And older kids will too. And I have to admit, it helped me brush up on what’s going on with my own digital profile. –Kate

Download Disconnect Kids today for iOS or Disconnect Me for PC web browsers including Chrome, Safari, Mozilla and Opera. It’s open-share software so it’s free, or make a donation at their website and help support a great service.